Amongst a variety of streets named after trees, appropriately enough in Chaddlewood, is Juniper Way.
This street is named after the most widespread member of the Juniperus family. This coniferous genus has 30 species, all of which are evergreen trees or shrubs. The Common Juniper is familiar in Britain and other parts of Northern Europe and even Asia. Its small blue-black fruit closely resembles a true berry and is used medicinally, as a stimulant, and in the flavouring of gin. Even the stem and leaves are used, as they contain an aromatic principle, to make incense. The stem itself is often used in North America to make pencils cigar boxes. While juniper wood is occasionally used in joinery, its bark can be used to make rope.
Junipers appear in the Bible, and its fruit was used to feed the followers of the messiah/very naughty boy Brian, in the Monty Python film, “The Life of Brian.”
